Richard Ernest Brown was a catcher

Catcher

Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...

 in American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 Major League Baseball

Major League Baseball

Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...

 during the 1950s and 1960s. The native of Shinnston, West Virginia

Shinnston, West Virginia

Shinnston is a city in Harrison County, West Virginia, United States, along the West Fork River. The population was 2,295 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Shinnston is located at ....

, attended Florida State University

Florida State University

The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...

 and batted and threw right-handed. Standing at 6'3" tall, and weighing 190 pounds, he played from to for the Cleveland Indians

Cleveland Indians

The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...

, Chicago White Sox

Chicago White Sox

The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...

, Detroit Tigers

Detroit Tigers

The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...

 and Baltimore Orioles

Baltimore Orioles

The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...

.

Originally signed by the Indians in , Dick — who was the elder brother of former AL infielder

Infielder

An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...

 Larry Brown — made his big league debut on June 20, 1957 against the Boston Red Sox

Boston Red Sox

The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...

 at the age of 22. After three seasons with the Indians, he was traded to the Chicago White Sox on December 6, 1959 along with Don Ferrarese

Don Ferrarese

Donald Hugh "Midget" Ferrarese is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played from 1955 to 1962 with the Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox, Philadelphia Phillies and St. Louis Cardinals. A left-handed thrower, he threw right-handed. An attendant of St...

, Minnie Minoso and Jake Striker

Jake Striker

Wilbur Scott "Jake" Striker is a former left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played in and with the Cleveland Indians and Chicago White Sox....

 for Norm Cash

Norm Cash

Norman Dalton Cash was an American first baseman in Major League Baseball who spent almost his entire career with the Detroit Tigers...

, Bubba Phillips

Bubba Phillips

John Melvin "Bubba" Phillips was an American third baseman in Major League Baseball who attended the University of Southern Mississippi...

 and Johnny Romano

Johnny Romano

John Anthony Romano Jr. is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Chicago White Sox , Cleveland Indians and St. Louis Cardinals . He threw and batted right-handed...

.

Brown played in 636 games over nine seasons, hitting .244 with 62 home runs and 223 RBI. His best two seasons were the two he spent with Detroit: he hit 16 home runs in and 12 home runs in . He had a .989 fielding percentage. Career highlights include back-to-back-to-back home runs he hit with Norm Cash

Norm Cash

Norman Dalton Cash was an American first baseman in Major League Baseball who spent almost his entire career with the Detroit Tigers...

 and Steve Boros

Steve Boros

Stephen Boros Jr. was an American infielder, coach, manager, advance scout, and farm system official in Major League Baseball....

 on May 23, 1961. He hit a grand slam less than one month earlier on April 29.

He played his final game on October 3, 1965. He was forced to retire because of a brain tumor, which eventually claimed his life. He served as a scout for the Orioles until his death at age 35 in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1970. He is buried in Pinecrest Cemetery in Lake Worth, Florida

Lake Worth, Florida

Lake Worth is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, which takes its name from the body of water along its eastern border, originally called "Lake Worth", and now generally known as the Lake Worth Lagoon. The lake itself was named for General William J. Worth, who led U.S. forces during the last...

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